Your Guide to Kids’ Autumn Bedding
The changing of the seasons can be great motivation to change things up in your home. As the new school term starts and the nights begin to draw in, you might be thinking about updating your family’s bedding for autumn.
The impending cooler evenings and chilly mornings mean you’ll want to ensure your kids are warm and comfortable in their beds (especially if it will help stop them sneaking into yours!) You’ll also want to make sure their bedding is clean and dust mite-free, to keep them as healthy as possible as we move into the dreaded flu season.
If you’re wondering, ‘What’s the best kid’s bedding?’ and ‘What should I do about their duvet?’, check out our complete guide to kid’s autumn bedding below, and help your little one sleep well this season!
Duvets
Depending on the temperature of your child’s bedroom, you may need to switch their duvet to one with a higher tog as the weather turns cooler. Bear in mind that toddlers should only have duvets of a maximum of 4.5 tog. For children under 10, you should not exceed 10.5 tog as this may make them too hot at night. A 7.5 tog duvet may be ideal for kids during autumn.
Duvets can be filled with natural materials such as feather or down, or synthetic options like microfibre. We generally recommend synthetic fillings for children as they are often hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial, so perfect for kids with allergies or sensitive skin.
The GHI recommends that duvets should be washed at least twice a year. Autumn can be a great time to wash your child’s duvet, after the sweaty nights of summer, so they’ll have a clean and fresh-smelling quilt for the new season.
Many synthetic kid’s duvets are machine washable and will be fine to be thrown in your machine – just make sure there’s enough space for the duvet to move around. Some duvets, especially those with natural fillings, may need to be dry cleaned. Once washed, allow your child’s duvet to air dry thoroughly and then iron it to help kill any remaining bacteria.
Pillows
It is also recommended to wash pillows at least a couple of times a year. We recommend washing your child’s pillows on the same day you wash their duvet – you might as well get it all over with! Pillows can take up a lot of space, so be careful not to overload the drum of your washing machine. By washing your pillows and duvets regularly, you will hopefully find they last little ones well into their teenage years.
Mattresses
Whilst it’s pretty difficult to wash your child’s mattress, you can refresh it by hoovering it, and the changing of the seasons is a great reminder to do this. You can also prolong the life of your child’s mattress with a high-quality, waterproof mattress protector, which will protect it from sweat, spills and night-time accidents. Make sure to wash this regularly too (does it ever end?)
Bedding
As the nights draw in and you just want to snuggle up inside, it’s even more important to have cosy bedding. We recommend choosing 100% cotton sheets with a high thread count for your child. Cotton is comfortable and breathable, so perfect for changeable autumn weather. It’s also hardwearing and washes well, which we’re sure you’ll agree is essential with kids!
Our SNURK bedding sets are made from high-quality organic cotton and are super soft. The photographic designs are full of fun and can help children get more excited about bedtime.
If your house is cooler or we have particularly chilly weather later in autumn, you might also consider high-quality flannel or fleece bedding, which will trap your little one’s body heat and keep them significantly warmer. Take into account that children may prefer the texture of some materials over others.
When it comes to keeping your little one’s bedding clean, the Sleep Foundation recommends that most people wash their sheets once a week. It may be necessary to wash your kid’s bedding more frequently, for example, if they suffer from allergies, if they don’t usually have a bath before bed, or if pets are allowed to sleep on their bed (everyone loves a cat nap!)
Cotton sheets can usually be washed at higher temperatures than polyester, which is great for purging them of dirt, sweat and dust mites. Having at least two sets of kid’s bedding will make washing their sheets easier, as there’s no rush to dry the same set before the end of the day – which can be no easy feat in drizzly autumn conditions!
Blankets
On colder autumn nights, your child may like a blanket for extra warmth. Blankets should be lightweight so that kids can easily pull them on if they’re cold and remove them by themselves if they get too hot. Weighted blankets should not be used with babies or toddlers and are generally not recommended for children either, due to safety concerns.
Any blankets and stuffed toys that your child takes to bed should be washed regularly, on a hot wash of 60°C if possible, to kill bacteria and dust mites. We always found having multiples of their favourite toy to be a great parenting hack, so they always have one to cuddle whilst the other one’s in the wash.
